Saturday, February 24, 2018

Business Model


This was published online Tuesday, February 21, 2018.
The next day this appeared.

What was FREE the day before now had a cost to the viewer. I have no idea of the response, but this pop-up disappeared before the day was over.
I fully understand what this particular company is going through. I worked there for 38 years and watched the changes happen. I was one of the unfortunates to the economy affects on this stogy stoic industry.
From what I knew a ‘news’ paper was a delivery service to educated opinions and professional journalism without bias for the public to consume and make their own opinions. The printed newsprint was the cheapest method to deliver the news (beyond the town crier) and paid advertising covered the cost of the ink and paper and salaries. The subscription cost to have a bundle of information delivered to your door every morning covered the cost of hiring young people on bicycles establishing their first business experience.
I understand it cost to keep the computers churning and the cameras clicking and the toilets clean but demanding pay for information seems a reverse of the mission statement.

Then this…  
2/22/2018 4:15 p.m. update:
To our readers,
In an effort to improve your online experience, we have upgraded the self-service tools at Richmond.com. During the upgrade, our subscribers and registered users have automatically been logged out of the website, and will need to log back in to read articles, view the e-edition, and access self-service features such as updating account information and placing vacation holds onto their accounts.
To sign back in, click the “LOG IN” link in the upper right corner of any page on Richmond.com and enter your username and password. Your username is the email address associated with your subscription account.
If you’ve forgotten your password, click on “Forgot your password?” and instructions will be sent to the email address on file.
If you still need assistance, please send us a note or call (804) 644-4181.
If you don’t have a digital subscription, click here to sign up for as little as $8.99 per month.
Thank you for reading The Times-Dispatch and supporting local journalism.


Earlier:
To our readers,
On Wednesday, Richmond.com underwent a software change that was intended to improve our digital signup and login process. It didn’t go exactly as planned, and we’re working feverishly to fix it.
The main issue is that some accounts were not properly moved over to our new subscription management system, and those readers may have encountered an error message when trying to access online content. We’re troubleshooting that now, and in the meantime we’ve opened up full access to the website for all readers.
Thank you for your patience. We’ll be back with more information as soon as we resolve this issue.
To our subscribers, thank you for your continued support.

So now I can read the full story as I did yesterday without restrictions or demands for payment for information. I’ve stopped my subscription to the print because I didn’t see enough value in the printing and delivery of information that I couldn’t scan online and (as every newspaper writer will acknowledge) follow the headline to the inverted pyramid. Without an attachment to the obituaries or the classifieds or the automotive/real estate ads or coupon fillers, there were some uninteresting sports (unless your child is playing) and a fairly comprehensive presentation of local political problems.
If you give me the sport scores, I’ve already seen them on the nightly news last night. If you give me the latest movie news, I’ve already seen the trailer and reviews on the web.
Perhaps the very expensive printing plant in Hanover is just a hold over until the readers die off but will the new news junkies look to an aging brand for up-to-date timely information they want?
I personally am glad I’m out of the game and wish whoever is left well for the path is hazy. I respect those who are out in the wee hours of the morning throwing news in the darkness fully knowing their occupation is going the way of the trolley car and the manual typewriter.
Just don’t move my comics.

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